Marriott St Kitts [Master Thread]
Apr 22, 2002, 8:00 pm
#1
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Join Date: May 1998
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Marriott St Kitts [Master Thread]
Dec 27, 2002, 9:16 am
#4
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
St. Kitts Marriott Opens When?
Does anyone have any info about what the problems have been with opening the ST. Kitts Marriott, and if it will in fact open this season? A while back when the hotel was supposed to open in 2002, I booked into the hotel from Feb 24 on. Now the latest info on the hotel web site has moved the opening date back to Feb 22, just 2 days before we are scheduled to arrive. Even after all the delays, the opening appears to be a partial opening.
Jan 17, 2003, 12:32 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: BOS
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Posts: 451
thoughts on St. Kitts Marriott Resort?
Hey gang,
I've booked a mountain view room at the new marriott resort in St. Kitts for sept for my honeymoon. Does anyone have any thought/reviews on the hotel or the island. I know it is still in the process of opening, so this may be a little to early to query reviews. thanks.
I've booked a mountain view room at the new marriott resort in St. Kitts for sept for my honeymoon. Does anyone have any thought/reviews on the hotel or the island. I know it is still in the process of opening, so this may be a little to early to query reviews. thanks.
Jan 18, 2003, 8:38 am
#6
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From the Marriott website;
"****PLEASE NOTE: OUR FEBRUARY 22, 2003 OPENING IS A LIMITED OPENING!! The following is scheduled to open on February 22, 2003: Main Hotel, Royal Resort Casino, Beach, Swimming Pools, Calypso Restaurant, La Cucina Restaurant, Bohemia Beach Bar & Grill, Lobby Bar and Retail Shops. The following is NOT scheduled to open until MID 2003: Spa, Golf Course, Tiger's Nightclub, Kids & Teen Club, Keys Cigar & Rum Bar, Blu Seafood Restaurant, Royal Grill Steakhouse and Garden Houses****"
Property has not opened as yet so I doubt you will get any reviews until the next couple of months.
"****PLEASE NOTE: OUR FEBRUARY 22, 2003 OPENING IS A LIMITED OPENING!! The following is scheduled to open on February 22, 2003: Main Hotel, Royal Resort Casino, Beach, Swimming Pools, Calypso Restaurant, La Cucina Restaurant, Bohemia Beach Bar & Grill, Lobby Bar and Retail Shops. The following is NOT scheduled to open until MID 2003: Spa, Golf Course, Tiger's Nightclub, Kids & Teen Club, Keys Cigar & Rum Bar, Blu Seafood Restaurant, Royal Grill Steakhouse and Garden Houses****"
Property has not opened as yet so I doubt you will get any reviews until the next couple of months.
Jan 21, 2003, 1:23 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
We're booked into this property 1 day after it opens. Although we had planned to use Rewards points for the stay, we decided to pay for the room because of the bargin prices they were charging. We'll let you know how we like the property.
Jan 23, 2003, 7:50 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: BOS
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Posts: 451
Thank you Life-Plat, I would really appreciate your thoughts on the resort after you return. I've booked the room with reward points and I will be a gold level member when we visit. I'm hoping to be upgraded. I've got a request in for a beach view room, but am told that they are sold out for when we will be there (early sept.)
thanks again and hope you guys have a great time.
thanks again and hope you guys have a great time.
Jan 25, 2003, 10:17 am
#9
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Muskegon MI USA
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Posts: 234
We were on St Kitts last January. There are more monkeys on the island than people. Don't put your drink down on the beach....they're alcoholics! Just kidding.
Not much to do if you like nightlife of any kind. Looked to us like their was only a couple of bars in town. When we were there the small city (only about 5 blocks square) they call a capital was really dirty. I'll be interested to hear what impact the Marriott's opening has on the attention given to the downtown.
People are very very friendly....and poor!
They make and sell a great cane spirit (basically rum) called CSR. Only sold there and is worth a try if you like rum.
Please post a report after you return!
Not much to do if you like nightlife of any kind. Looked to us like their was only a couple of bars in town. When we were there the small city (only about 5 blocks square) they call a capital was really dirty. I'll be interested to hear what impact the Marriott's opening has on the attention given to the downtown.
People are very very friendly....and poor!
They make and sell a great cane spirit (basically rum) called CSR. Only sold there and is worth a try if you like rum.
Please post a report after you return!
Feb 12, 2003, 11:18 am
#10
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
Looks like Marriott is having trouble assuring that all will be fine for the opening at St. Kitts on Feb 22. Their director of marketing called me and discussed with me that many of the facilities will not be open and that there may even be power outages, as they have had experienced trouble with their generator.
HOWEVER, in typical Marriott fashion they have tried to make this a wonderful vacation for their guests by providing the room FREE. Also they said they would throw in some food, as well as pickup from the airport. They also offered to book us at another Marriott for the same dates with Marriott picking up the difference as well as the airline change fee.
WHAT AN OFFER!! This is one of the many reasons why I've been loyal to Marriott for more than 20 years.
HOWEVER, in typical Marriott fashion they have tried to make this a wonderful vacation for their guests by providing the room FREE. Also they said they would throw in some food, as well as pickup from the airport. They also offered to book us at another Marriott for the same dates with Marriott picking up the difference as well as the airline change fee.
WHAT AN OFFER!! This is one of the many reasons why I've been loyal to Marriott for more than 20 years.
Mar 6, 2003, 11:29 am
#11
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
New St. Kitts Marriott Sets Bar Higher
My wife and I returned a few days ago from a stay at the new St. Kitts Marriott. This property is fantastic, and we believe will set Marriott standards in the Caribbean as well as through out the world. We must have stayed at 75-100 Marriotts over the years and this is one of the top 3, if not the best Marriott property we ever had stayed at. The hotel is on a wonderful beach just 10 minutes from the airport and consists of a central building a number of peripheral buildings that are being sold as resort properties. A large pool snakes its way around the grounds covered with a variety of trees offering shade from the warm sun. One of the major features is the tile which took years to lay by Italian tile workers. There are designs the floor tile throughout the hotel with mosaics in prominent areas of the lobby and corridors. Our room was very spacious, with a balcony as large as a 2 car garage overlooking the beach. There is a small Casino, and a 72 hole golf course is partially finished.
We were one of the first to check into the hotel, the first to have a wake-up call, and the second guests to check out. Although the hotel is still under construction, it was real fun to see the efficient Marriott staff of experts from all over the world train the new hotel staff. When we arrived, Marriott assigned one of their managers to each of the guests so that if any problems arose, it qucikly could be rectified. The lady who was assigned to us had the manager, John Toti, meet us. He explained that the hotel was still under construction, but if any problems arose, to immediately page him so that he, himself, could resolve our problems. Other managers also provided service themselves for us including the Food Manager, the Chef, and the Front Desk Manager. Many of the managers who were involved in this opening had been involved in a number of previous Marriott openings, and their experience clearly smiled upon us. Although being one of the first guests in a recently opened hotel might be very trying, for us it was an outstanding experience. At the end of our stay, we felt we had ownership in the success of the hotel, and plan to return as soon as possible.
It is true that some of the wait staff did not have the polish of staff at other hotels, and the elevator floor buttons did not correspond to the room numbers, and that workmen were everywhere, but we never saw these minor inconveniences as problems, but rather part of the excitement of being a part of the opening of this wonderful hotel.
In the past I have had Marriott execs speak about customer service at national meetings for my colleagues. Customer service of the staff at the St. Kitts property even exceeded my expectations!
Marriott has done well in choosing to locate
in St. Kitts. There is no other large full service hotel, the locals are friendly and are anxious to please and will make outstanding employees,and St. Kitts is relatively easy to reach. The major industry of St. Kitts is sugar, but the state supported refinery is now 101 years old and losing $20-30M yearly. I suspect the govenment is hoping that Marriott can hire many of these employees so that the primary industry can change from sugar to tourism. (We also would recommend that a tour of this 101 year old refinery, essentially unchanged during that span of time; we just walked in the front door and were treated to an interesting 90 minutes.)
We were one of the first to check into the hotel, the first to have a wake-up call, and the second guests to check out. Although the hotel is still under construction, it was real fun to see the efficient Marriott staff of experts from all over the world train the new hotel staff. When we arrived, Marriott assigned one of their managers to each of the guests so that if any problems arose, it qucikly could be rectified. The lady who was assigned to us had the manager, John Toti, meet us. He explained that the hotel was still under construction, but if any problems arose, to immediately page him so that he, himself, could resolve our problems. Other managers also provided service themselves for us including the Food Manager, the Chef, and the Front Desk Manager. Many of the managers who were involved in this opening had been involved in a number of previous Marriott openings, and their experience clearly smiled upon us. Although being one of the first guests in a recently opened hotel might be very trying, for us it was an outstanding experience. At the end of our stay, we felt we had ownership in the success of the hotel, and plan to return as soon as possible.
It is true that some of the wait staff did not have the polish of staff at other hotels, and the elevator floor buttons did not correspond to the room numbers, and that workmen were everywhere, but we never saw these minor inconveniences as problems, but rather part of the excitement of being a part of the opening of this wonderful hotel.
In the past I have had Marriott execs speak about customer service at national meetings for my colleagues. Customer service of the staff at the St. Kitts property even exceeded my expectations!
Marriott has done well in choosing to locate
in St. Kitts. There is no other large full service hotel, the locals are friendly and are anxious to please and will make outstanding employees,and St. Kitts is relatively easy to reach. The major industry of St. Kitts is sugar, but the state supported refinery is now 101 years old and losing $20-30M yearly. I suspect the govenment is hoping that Marriott can hire many of these employees so that the primary industry can change from sugar to tourism. (We also would recommend that a tour of this 101 year old refinery, essentially unchanged during that span of time; we just walked in the front door and were treated to an interesting 90 minutes.)
Mar 6, 2003, 2:42 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Baltimore
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Great Report!
I was anxious to hear about this property, it sounds like it will be my destination for next winters getaway (if this winter ever ends) Any opinions on how "kid friendly" this place appears?
I was anxious to hear about this property, it sounds like it will be my destination for next winters getaway (if this winter ever ends) Any opinions on how "kid friendly" this place appears?
Mar 6, 2003, 2:54 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, UA MM Lifetime Gold, BA Silver
Posts: 451
Thanks again for the terrific review. What did you guys do for a rental car? I've seen that Thrifty rents suzaki's? They seem kind of small and dangerous to me? any advice on that one?
Last edited by rives21; Mar 23, 2006 at 1:15 pm
Mar 6, 2003, 6:25 pm
#15
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Good report, thanks.
The best dining on the island can be found at
Ottley's Plantation Inn, simply exquisite AND PEACEFUL (no kids) http://www.ottleys.com/
I understand if you are a Marriott hound you will probably stay at the Marriott, BUT Ottley’s is an incredible property for a stay.
------------------
Visit FlyerTalk Dining http://flyertalk.com/diningfr.shtml
The best dining on the island can be found at
Ottley's Plantation Inn, simply exquisite AND PEACEFUL (no kids) http://www.ottleys.com/
I understand if you are a Marriott hound you will probably stay at the Marriott, BUT Ottley’s is an incredible property for a stay.
------------------
Visit FlyerTalk Dining http://flyertalk.com/diningfr.shtml
